August
16,2007 Dar Es Salaam
|
Arrived
in Dar Es Salaam on a luxury bus on a good road and was still quite tired
after only 7 hours. I decided I won't do another bus ride on this trip if
I can avoid it. Leaving for Zanzibar on Saturday at 9:00 am and coming
back on Wednesday afternoon.
I got out of the bus in an Arab quarter to look for a hotel an eccentric
Brit told me about. The Al Aruba. I found it , but no rooms available.
The neighborhood was wild and noisy. I could have been anywhere in the
middle east. People were nice but it just didn't ring my bell, so I took
a cab part way to get to my friend Steve Fisher's place. Steve would be
home but is arriving the next day. Changing from cab to bus, a kid helped
me carry my second bag to the right bus but he was getting away from me
and in the rush to catch up, my back pack broke a side mirror on another
bus. I just kept on going figuring the driver would eventually find me
which he did. I didn't want to see the kid running down the road with my
bag. It ended up costing me an extra $10 , but all is well inshallah.
Then the bus ride and a taxi and I'm at Steve's. He'd phoned his sister
in law, Freida to expect me and I was welcomed in the best of African
hospitality. Went on the beach, a quarter mile away for a walk. Came back
to a nice supper. In the morning I went for a run and intended to come
back and do a wash. Stopped to talk to a guy sitting in front of a hotel
on the beach, as he had an American accent. Ex -NFL player from Atlanta
out here on a mission to build a basketball court for a public housing
block. His name is Todd Peterson. Very nice fellow. He prayed for Jacques
with me on the beach. We talked almost 40 minutes and then he had to go
and I figured my hosts were probably sending out a posse. I was right.
Got home to a nice breakfast and came downtown to confirm my flight next
week. Also got a ticket for Zanzibar , leaving Saturday . I showed the
lady selling tickets a hundred dollar bill, asking her if I would get US
change . She said yes, gave me the ticket and 30 dollars and forgot to
take the hundred. I found it in my pocket and went back. She was
eternally grateful.
Well, I 'm cutting this short and getting back out on the streets. Dar
has changed so much in the last 14 years, it is indescribable in some
ways. All the streets are paved, thanks to the Japanese who did it
several times til they got it right. When I was here in the past they
were on their second try. They controlled the purse strings and got it
done. Lots of new, tall , buildings. The harbor is cleaned up of a bunch
of junk ships that were on the beach. In general things are a lot more
modern , and I miss the sleepy little town that was here 40 years ago.
But what has stood still? Not much. Maybe Bujumbura. I'm afraid to see
what has become of Zanzibar. Maybe next time I'll start this trip in
Kilwa and work my way north by plane.
George
|
|
|


Itinerary
George's
Route
Archive
Aug 21, 2007
Aug 16, 2007
Aug 14, 2007
Aug 12-13, 2007
Aug 10, 2007
Aug 6-8, 2007
Aug 5, 2007
Aug 1, 2007
July 30, 2007
July 29, 2007
July 23-25, 2007
July 24, 2007
July 22, 2007
July 20, 2007
July 15-17, 2007
July 12-13, 2007
July 13, 2007
July 12, 2007
July 8, 2007
June 30, 2007
June 12, 2007
June 11, 2007
Mediation Classes
and Case Studies
Nairobi
Kakamega/Lubao
Bujumbura, Rwanda
Kigali, Rwanda
Goma, Congo
Photos
1960's Africa
Germany
|
|